Beazley 'mystified' by Habib restrictions

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Newly elected Opposition Leader Kim Beazley today questioned
whether Australian Mamdouh Habib should be prevented from selling
his story about being a Guantanamo Bay prisoner.

Mr Habib is believed to be on his way home to Australian today
after being held at the United States Military prison without
charge for three years.

The federal government is investigating whether it can stop Mr
Habib from profiting from selling his story under anti-terrorism
laws passed by parliament last year.

Mr Beazley said he was not sure if the laws applied to Mr Habib
and he was "slightly mystified" by the government's view of the
legislation.

"I am not sure that in fact applies to Mr Habib's
situation."

Attorney-General Philip Ruddock yesterday said Mr Habib would
not be prevented from telling his story, only from selling it.

Mr Habib's lawyer Stephen Hopper says it is important for his
client to tell his story and make Australians aware of what the
government had allowed to happen to an Australian citizen.

Mr Hopper has also claimed Mr Habib was tortured at Guantanamo
Bay.

Mr Beazley said while he did not want to comment directly on Mr
Habib's situation, Australia should never be involved in the
torture of prisoners.

"We have to be serious about the way in which we deal with
people who are a potential terrorist threat to this country," he
said.

"But we must not under any circumstances engage in torture.

"We are a society of dignity, we are a society of people who
believe in the right treatment of others, even those who are our
enemies.

"When interrogation processes take place, (they should be done)
in a manner which is consistent with that dignity.

"I notice that the Americans are now trying to make sure that
that occurs in relation to prisoners at Guantanamo Bay and
elsewhere and that's a very important thing. And we must always
make that stand ourselves."